A while back I noted that work seemed to have stopped on south end of the the Main Street mall removal project, just a few percent shy of completion. There was an ugly fence around the former Chick Hotel Building at Main and Elm, right across from the MetroCentre, which made for an ugly sight for people visiting the red barn from out of town.

Public Works Superintendent Tim Hanson explained that discussions were taking place at City Hall about what to do with an old vault underneath the Rockford Office Supply and former Chick Hotel buildings at the corner of Elm and Main. The long-vacant hotel, owned by city taxpayers, was built in 1847.

Hanson told me not to worry, he was on the case and would the job done. In the last few days, crews have been at the site, filling the vault with a concrete-like substance. The job is costing $31,000, he said.

"Then we'll put paving bricks in there, and the walkway will be done," Hanson said. "At that point everything will be complete except the lighting, and that could be done later this year or more likely in the spring," he said.

"Our budget for the mall removal project was $2.65 million, and we've got about $150,000 of that left," Hanson said.

However, the total project will cost around $3 million, due to replacement of several 100-year old water mains under Main Street for† $400,000, and about $100,000 of sewer work for the Rock River Reclamation District.

"We decided with the old age of the water mains, it made sense to replace them rather than have to dig up the new street when the old ones break down," Hanson said.

Hanson said the project to replace the ill-fated mall revealed a series of old and disintegrating infrastructure, including vaults and old utility connections.

"There were all kinds of utilities going through that mall. It was a mess. And we knew that, so we set aside money for change orders, because we weren't sure what was under there," Hanson said.

The public works chief is concerned about the condition of the Chick Hotel, however.

"Those exterior bricks have started to disintegrate," he said. "The whole building's shot. When you walk inside the building, you want to walk only in the hallways. Go into one in of the rooms and you might fall through," Hanson said.